In its ruling today, the apex court has said that India's national anthem must be played in all cinema halls before a movie starts. The Supreme Court has also ruled that playing of the anthem must be accompanied by displaying an image of the tricolour on the cinema screen.

It would also be mandatory for each member of the audience to stand up in respect while the national anthem is played out, the apex court added.

In
Focus

While
issuing further directives to the government, the SC said that the
national anthem should not be printed or displayed on inappropriate
objects. The apex court also added that dramatisation of the national
anthem should be avoided.

The
apex court in its ruling said, "The national anthem is a matter of
national integrity, unity and identity and as well as constitutional
patriotism."

In
October this year, writer Salil Chaturvedi, a wheel-chair bound
paraplegic had been assaulted by a couple in Goa for not standing
during playing of the national anthem. However, the incident had
triggered a massive outrage.